Manchester City Transfer News: 'Disgusting' Tom Dele-Bashiru Offer Angers Father

Manchester City have been slammed as "disgusting" by Tom Dele-Bashiru's father, Bandele, due to the way they have dealt with negotiations over the youngster's professional contract.  

Dele-Bashiru has progressed through the youth ranks at City since joining the club as a six-year-old and has started the new term with the under-18 side in fine fashion, netting two goals and providing six assists in just four matches, per ESPN.co.uk's Peter O'Rourke.

The young star turned 17 last month and City are now looking to tie him to a new professional contract, but talks are under threat after Bandele Bashiru criticised the Sky Blues, who returned with a lower offer after their initial proposal had been rejected, per O'Rourke:

"

Discussions have broken down with Manchester City and I know other clubs are interested in Tom. We always wanted to give Manchester City first option on keeping Tom, but we are now willing to talk to other clubs.

We opened discussions over his professional contract before August, but we did not accept the offer as we were not happy with the offer and unfortunately then they came back with a lower offer.

We are not happy with the way Tom has been treated in all this and I think it is disgusting. Tom has shown he is one the best in his age group in the country and if Manchester City do not value him we are happy to go elsewhere.

"

Per Sky Sports, Dele-Bashiru has been rated as one of the top young talents in the country for some time, and he has long been linked with interest from elsewhere.

Now would seemingly be a perfect opportunity for any other interested clubs to swoop for the youngster as his relationship with City is seemingly on the rocks.

Though O'Rourke reported that City are "keen" to sign him up to a deal, the fact they returned with a lower offer following the initial rejection suggests they are not desperate to keep hold of him.

His father's disappointment with the way Dele-Bashiru has been treated could well see him leave the club if City do not resolve the situation quickly.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

For so long in the shadow of their neighbours Manchester United, City have recently eclipsed the Red Devils in more ways than one.

The superior team in Manchester in the Premier League over the last few seasons, City's academy is also now the envy of English football in the way that United's used to be in the 1990s, per CityTV (via Rob Pollard in the Manchester Evening News).

Striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been the biggest success story for the Sky Blues recently, graduating from the youth ranks to the senior squad and making an immediate impact, per WhoScored.com:

Dele-Bashiru will likely have been hoping to follow in the Nigerian's footsteps, but his contract issues could see him now leave the club before he has even had his chance at senior level.

If he then goes on to be a success elsewhere, City will have to ensure they are more careful with their negotiations in the future.